BQ Pitts Jr. Cried After Seeing Video of Attack on His Mother

We turn now to a shocking story that unfolded ahead of the Christmas holiday. A disturbing video went viral on Christmas Eve, showing sixty-nine-year-old Barbara Austin being punched to the ground by a man believed to be mentally ill. The attack left her unconscious and reignited national concerns about public safety and mental health care. Doctors say Austin is recovering, but her son, Bernard Pitts Jr., says watching that video and realizing it was his mother was heartbreaking. He spoke with News Five about the pain of seeing the attack and why he believes more must be done to protect both victims and those struggling with mental illness.

 

Bernard Pitts Jr., Son of Attack Victim

“We’re very thankful that my mom is recovering, I believe quite well. We have done follow-ups with the neurologist and the doctor. We have done MRIs and X-rays and it has shown she is okay so far, but we’ll continue to monitor because we don’t know what may develop down the road.”

 

Shane Williams

“What was it like for you as a son looking at the video that went viral, knowing that’s your mom?”

 

Bernard Pitts Jr.

“I said, mom, there’s a video that’s saying that you have been attacked or punched, or something like that. And she said, yes, baby da me. Immediately I started to cry because I did not see the video and, I could not phantom imagining my mom who is sixty-nine-year-old taking a punch or taking a hit and then being rendered unconscious. And it, it really took a lot out of me. And I think what needs to be done is that perhaps there’s more care taken for these people, maybe from the Ministry of Health or so, because we don’t know what is happening with these people. We don’t know what they’re suffering, what they’re going through, and. We basically box them out in a corner.”